North Lake County Public Library is a small public library that overlooks Montana’s beautiful Flathead Lake. It serves the city of Polson and the surrounding region. The area is in close proximity to the Mission Mountains, the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, and Glacier National Park, and is known for its scenic beauty and recreational opportunities.
Because of these factors, the population in and around Polson, which is Montana’s 18th largest municipality with a population of more than 5000, grows dramatically between April and November as people take up summer residence. The aesthetic quality of life also attracts many retired people from all across the United States for permanent year-round residence.
Polson is the county seat of Lake County. Lake County has three recognized public libraries, of which North Lake County Public Library is the largest. Estimates show that two out of three library users reside outside the city limits of Polson. Records show that in FY2010, the library ranked 19th out of 80 public libraries across Montana in terms of circulation.
The area lies within the Flathead Reservation, which was established by the Hell Gate Treaty of 1855, and is home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The academic library at the Salish-Kootenai Community College complements the North Lake County Public Library collection.
North Lake County Public Library has 6.70 full-time positions and a dedicated group of approximately ten volunteers. The library is a member of the Polson Chamber of Commerce.
